An Unexpected Arrival
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: The Rangers aleady have big news to deal with.  Is a new arrival going to make that any easier?
1. An Unexpected Arrival

**Legal:** I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, characters, places, events etc. Anything not covered by said rights are to be presumed to be purely the creation of the author.

**Rating:** T- May be mild adult themes, language etc.

**Timeline: **During "An Unexpected Arrival". It also contains plotlines from my previous fic, "A Family Emergency".

Emily came into the training yard in the morning, finding Serena and the others already out there going through the usual drills. Kevin was practicing on a mannequin, while Mike was sparring with Mia, and Jayden with Serena. She came out of the house, making her way to the edge of the mats just as Mia put Mike on the floor.

"Hey Emily, glad to see you're up." She chimed in cheerfully. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yeah, I guess." She responded. "Um...how long have you been training?"

"At least a couple of hours." Jayden chimed in as he locked his and Serena's bokken with his own in a stalemate. "We didn't want to wake you."

"It's almost midday." Mentor Ji said with a smile, coming to her side.

"Why didn't anyone wake me?" She asked them.

"Why would we?" Kevin asked her, taking a break from his drill against the mannequin. "We have Serena now."

"Yeah, she's great." Mia chipped in, throwing Mike to the floor. "I have someone I can relate to, someone my own age to take to the mall."

"She's excellent with a sword." Kevin told her, opening his jacket enough to show her a massive bruise across his shoulder. "She's a fantastic Samurai."

"I'll say." Jayden chuckled as he found himself on the floor, looking up to her. Serena helped him up, before putting an arm around her. "I bet with her, we'll be finished with Master Xandred in a week."

Emily looked away, unable to speak as she heard these words from her closest friends. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked around, seeing Mike standing there. She just smiled at him.

"I never knew your sister was so awesome." Mike told her. "I mean, I know you told us, but damn! She is hot!"

"Mike?" She asked him, her lip quivering as she felt her tears building. He just laughed.

"Come on, we had fun. Be happy about that." He told her. "But next to her...how did you expect to compete?"

Emily couldn't say anything. She just wanted to die, for the world to end and not to feel anything anymore just so she wouldn't feel this pain. She looked up to Mike, seeing him looking at Serena.

"So tell me, do you think your sister's serious about Jayden?" He asked her. Emily just ran off, her heart completely broken, fading into darkness.

She woke up with a start. She wasn't much of a sleeper anyway, she was always full of energy and rarely slept in, but it was still dark outside. One of the things contributing to her sleepless night was the fact she was sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag, something that was far from comfortable so her sister could have her bed in the girls' room.

She realised she wasn't likely to sleep any longer, and just got up. Mia was sleeping soundly. Normally, she'd consider waking her to talk to her. Mia had largely adopted the role that Serena had taken in her life, the big sister. She had encouraged Emily and comforted her. She had listened to everything she had to say, even when she was droning on and on about the life she left behind on the farm. She had done everything Serena had when she wasn't there, thinking about it, she had substituted one guardian for another. It just made her feel worse to think of things like this. Why would Mia want her when she could have someone she didn't need to look after and coddle?

As she left the room, making her way towards the kitchen for some water, she passed Kevin and Mike's room. She knew what she had experienced was a nightmare, the worst case scenario of her fears, but she had to try hard to consider why they weren't legitimate. Kevin had chastised her more than once for sloppy technique in sword classes, and Mike...well, Mike was a guy. He wasn't that much older than her, and she already knew that her mind had wandered to Deker because of hormones, and he had even admitted to her when he told her that was alright that he had such thoughts about other girls.

Serena was so much more than Emily was. She was taller, and considerably more graceful. She would never slip on a bag of frozen peas or spit water in the face of someone while gargling. Her strawberry blonde hair was always perfect, and flowed enticingly, easily manageable and beautiful. She had never had a freckle or zit in her life so far as Emily could remember, and while she was pale as a result of her long months confined to a bedroom, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Beyond that, she was everything she wasn't in the world of their ancestors. Emily had been trained since childhood, but she was never as gifted as Serena. Serena had been able to do tricks with her symbol power before Emily was out of diapers. She was able to beat a fully grown adult with a sword before Emily was in Grade School, and by the time Emily was in High School, Serena could easily defeat half a dozen opponents in less than a minute with a bokken alone.

"You weren't the only one huh?" Jayden asked, causing her to jump with a start. She didn't notice that he was already up and working in the study.

"Jayden..."

"I was up anyway." He told her. "Come on, we'll get some tea."

He took her to the kitchen, where they both sat down. He prepared the tea set, and put leaves in the pot, before flicking on the kettle.

"So you can't sleep?" He asked her. Emily just looked to him and shook her head.

"I just had a nightmare." She replied. "I'll be fine."

"I can relate." He told her. He didn't want to reveal too much. No one had the courage to tell Emily that there would be a price to pay for Serena's health. By using the Swordfish Disk to heal her, Kevin had subverted the natural order. She was meant to die to the virus, and so curing her was a violation of the natural order. It was an abuse of the power, and there would be consequences. Of course, no one wanted to say that to Emily or Serena, right now everyone just wanted to rejoice in the happiness that came from Serena's recovery. "I've been having bad dreams too."

"Really?" Emily asked him. "What about?"

"I don't really know." Jayden said in response. "All I know is that something's coming, and I'm not sure it's good."

The sun was just rising over the city as a young man walked down the beach, dragging a cart behind him. It wasn't much, merely an ice-box bearing a sign reading only "Antonio's Fresh Fish." Fishing poles and tackle dangled from it, the tools of his trade. The young man stopped to look over the horizon.

He was an average height, with a slight, though toned build. He looked a little shabby, the result of having walked most of the way since the last town wearing only a pair of denims and a white checkered shirt. He looked to the city and smiled.

"At last I have arrived!" He declared in an artificially super-hero manner "Wait'll they get a load of me!"

He looked to the ice box as one of the lids started to rise a little. He just reached his fingers beneath, stroking the creature within.

"Not yet buddy, you'll have your moment." He told it, causing the creature to sink back inside. He just grinned. "This is gonna be golden baby!"

The Rangers and Serena were all assembled in the training yard following early morning drills. While they normally also got in some sparring before breakfast, The Rangers had a standard exercise programme they had to follow. Mentor Ji forewent the morning sparring though, calling them all to the mats. They all sat in the Lotus Position around him.

"As you know, recent events have changed the landscape dramatically." Mentor Ji began. "I have an important announcement."

Mia looked to Emily a little concerned, as did Mike. Although she hadn't said anything, she had been very quiet since Serena talked to her at the amusement park, something they had both noticed.

"As you know, Emily was sent here as a replacement for Serena because of her illness." Mentor Ji told them. "Since that is no longer an issue, Serena is free to return to duty."

"Whoa, hold up." Mike interjected. "Are you saying...?"

"We all know what should be done." Mentor Ji stated. "Emily."

Emily just sighed as she took out her Samuraizer, looking to it longingly. She loved her life on the farm, and had missed her family dreadfully, but in the end, she had only known that one life. In the time she had been in the city with the other Rangers, her eyes had been opened to so much more in the world than what she had known. However, she always knew her place in things. She just handed it to Serena.

She then took her Folding Zord necklace off and looked to it one last time. She handed it to Serena.

"She likes to be played with for a little while before bedtime." Emily told her. The Rangers looked a little stunned.

Just then, averting the inevitable debate, a gap sensor sounded. Mentor Ji called up the image on the table.

"It's not far." He told them. "Go!"

It wasn't far. Only minutes after the gap sensor sounded, the Rangers and Emily were all on the scene. They all looked around for any signs of a disturbance.

"Well that's disappointing for the first time out." Serena quipped.

"So where's the Nighlock?" Mike asked. Kevin stooped down, reaching into a storm drain for one of the gap sensors that had been set up. He inspected it.

"It seems to be working." He replied. "Something set this off."

Just then, Jayden looked around in alarm, like he had seen or heard something. Serena came to his side.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"I'm not sure." Jayden replied. "Come on, there's nothing to be seen here."

As they left however, Emily took another quick look around. She was certain that Mentor Ji's gap sensors wouldn't just sound for no reason.

They arrived back at the Shiba House to find Mentor Ji waiting on them.

"That didn't take long." He commented.

"It doesn't take long to deal with nothing." Serena replied, sounding almost disappointed. "I mean I've spent months in bed, I could have done with a little action."

Just then, they heard a sound outside. Mike was closest to the door, and so he went out to see what it was, coming back with an arrow, carrying a message.

"All it says is 'see you soon'." He told them.

"It must be karma." Kevin replied. "Because of..."

He looked to Serena and Emily. Neither of them really knew what he had done, and so they didn't know that there was potentially a karmic backlash coming the Rangers' way. He didn't want to bring that up now. "Because there are people that want us gone."

"Something's fishy." Mike stated.

"I'll say." Emily replied.

"No, I mean, something's really fishy." He replied, handing her the arrow. "Smell that."

Emily sniffed it and recoiled in disgust at the scent. Serena approached her and whispered in her ear.

"I can see why you chose him." She teased her little sister. "Come on guys, how about I teach you how to make my mom's chicken casserole?"

Later that night, Emily was sitting alone in the yard. Mike made his way out after dinner, finding her just sitting there.

"Normally when I find you out here you're playing your flute." He told her. She just shrugged.

"I gave it to Serena." She replied. "Deker broke hers."

"But it's your flute." He protested. "She can get another, it's yours."

Before she could say anything, they heard a crash from inside. They ran inside, finding themselves the last to arrive as Jayden was stalking the study with his Samuraizer at the ready.

"There's something here." He told them. "I can feel it."

"Jayden, we can't feel anything." Mia assured him. "Are you sure it isn't just your imagination?"

"He's the head of the Shiba Clan." Serena pointed out. "If he says there's something here, I'm willing to believe him."

Jayden just carved a symbol in the air, calling his sword to his hand and swinging around, the blade stopping millimetres from Emily's nose. Her mouth hung open in panic and her eyes were as wide as satellite dishes.

"Sorry Em." He said, before making his way through the rest of the house. Serena was close behind him.

"He really has the flipping out thing down pat doesn't he?" Mike asked. Emily just nodded.

"He has all the support he needs." She sighed in response. "I'm going to bed. Wake me in the morning. I need fresh underwear."

The next day, Jayden was gone long before anyone was awake. None of them knew why he was gone, or where he had gone. All they knew was that he was gone.

"You must search for him." Mentor Ji told them. "Go and find him."

That was a couple of hours ago by the time they got to the harbour. Kevin wanted to make another check of the 'faulty' gap sensor just to make sure it wasn't faulty.

"Well, nothing is wrong with it." He commented, replacing it. "We need to keep going."

Just as they were passing though, something caught Emily, the distinct smell of fish. There was a guy selling grilled and raw fish on the shore, and he was handing out flyers. She swung by to get a closer look.

"Hey there pretty lady." Antonio greeted her. Have a flyer. Get your fish, one and all raw or cooked, I've got it all!"

Emily paused for a moment as she looked at the flyer. Serena came back to her.

"Emily, this is no time..."

"Where's that message, the one on the arrow?" She asked. Mike came over and handed it to her. She held both up for them all to see.

"The writing, it's the same." She told them.

"I'll make him talk." Serena assured them as they approached him.

"Do you make these flyers yourself?" Emily asked Antonio. He just sniggered.

"Yeah, I'm a one-man business." He replied.

"Well it sure beats having one shot at you." Serena said sarcastically.

"That's for sure." Antonio replied, before realising what they had said. He looked back to them in horror. "You're..."

"We're seriously pissed off!" Serena replied, grabbing his hand and twisting his arm behind his back. "Why are you shooting messages at us?"

"You're ruining my golden moment!" He protested.

"I don't care!" Serena snarled as she held him tighter. "We...whaoooooooo...!"

Before any of them could see what had happened, he had flipped Serena over the barrier into the water nearly 12 feet below. He kicked over an ice bucket, causing them all to slip and fall as he grabbed his cart and ran off.

"He's so fast!" Mia protested. Just then, the Samuraizers beeped.

"Jayden's left a note, he's going to Spring Park." Mentor Ji told them. "He needs backup."

"We should..."

Emily put a hand up as her sister climbed up the ladder out of the harbour.

"You go, I'll follow him." She told them. As they ran off, she ran off after the stranger with one thought in her head.

"It's not like I have anything better to do."


	2. A Golden Moment

Serena, Mia, Kevin and Mike arrived at the spring, coming to a halt where they had been told to go by Mentor Ji.

"Well, we're here." Kevin stated. "Where's Jayden?"

Just then, they saw a Nighlock come out of a gap, looking around as though searching for something, or someone. It seemed like they weren't the only ones wondering where the Red Ranger was. It was about eight feet tall, and seemed to be a fox. In its right hand, it was carrying a mirror of some description.

"I can't believe because of him we had to come to this accursed world." It snarled in frustration. "Where is he?"

Just then, the Lion Zord soared through the air, snatching the mirror from his hand. Jayden sprung out of the spring, launching himself several feet in the air, dashing the Nighlock to the ground with his Spin Sword as he landed. The Lion Zord dropped the mirror into his hand.

"It's not nice to spy on people." He quipped. "I figured it out. When I felt you before, when I splashed water on my face, the presence went away. That's when I realised that water prevented your spying."

"The water in our world is purer than the water in the Sanzu River." Serena chipped in. Jayden just nodded.

"That's when I realised that this was the one place I could truly hide from you." He replied. "This was the only way to draw you into the open."

"I never even got to see you practice that sealing symbol." Vulpes replied. "Never mind. If I destroy you myself, then I will not need to learn your sealing symbol."

"Good luck with that." Serena declared as the others prepared their Samuraizers.

Back in the city, Emily was running through the streets, but as she turned a corner, the fish guy had disappeared. It was hundreds of feet to the next street corner, and she knew he couldn't be that fast, especially with the heavy fish cart.

She looked around for places he could possibly have hidden, but it was a fruitless effort. There were plenty of places he could be. It was then that she got a thought. She took a deep sniff, and could smell fish nearby. The guy handled fish so much that virtually everything he touched stank of it, that was why the arrow smelled of fish. She smiled as she got an idea, taking out her cell phone.

"Mentor, I lost the guy." She told him.

"You'll find him again." He assured her. "Come back home, the others are in battle at Spring Park.

"Spring Park?" She asked, raising her voice a little as she looked around. "How's it going?"

"Not well?" He replied.

"I'm coming." She told him before running off. Antonio emerged from his hiding place behind a dumpster, grinning broadly.

"This sounds like a perfect time for my Golden Moment." He announced as he ran off. He didn't even notice that Emily had just gone round the corner and was leaning against the wall.

"Gotcha." She whispered as she ran after him.

A little while later, she heard the sounds of battle, and saw the fish guy stopping in his tracks. Just as she was about to tackle him, she watched him throw a handful of pilchards or...well...the truth was she really had no idea what kind of fish they were, but she heard explosions and found her eyes drawn to the bottom of the slope.

"Catch of the day!" Antonio announced. "You look like you could use a little help."

"Alright, who is this guy?" Mike asked. Emily abandoned her mission to follow him, rushing to their side to check on her friends. They were all unmorphed, so she presumed they had to have taken a beating. "Emily?"

"I followed him." She explained.

"This is a special moment." Antonio announced regally as he gestured to himself.

"OK, once again, who is this guy?" Mike asked.

"Someone who's going to get his ass kicked eight ways from Sunday if he doesn't run like hell." Serena chipped in. Antonio just smirked.

"That's what you think." He replied, pulling out a cell phone. "Gold Power!"

Before their eyes, he was transformed into a Ranger, one that no one had ever seen before. That was shaped suspiciously like a fish. He stood in a dramatic pose, like he was waiting for applause.

"OK, one last time, who is this guy?" Mike asked. "The archives never said anything about a Gold Ranger."

"It's the first I've heard about it." Jayden added as Antonio leapt down into the clearing. He turned to them.

"What, no 'thanks for helping?' or 'what what?'" He asked them. "Alright, I get it, you need a minute."

"I ask again...who is this guy?" Mike asked.

"With me, when you make an entrance it's either go big, or go home. Am I right?" He declared.

"We are in the middle of a battle." Vulpes growled, reminding him of his presence. "Perhaps my minions will remind you of that."

"We'll do the Q&A later." He told the others, removing his tanto and its sheath from the back of his belt. "I have something to deal with. You all sit tight, I'll deal with this."

The nighlocks rushed him, but all seemed to suddenly stop, before exploding.

"He didn't even move." Mia commented.

"Yes he did." Jayden told them. "Just faster than the eye can see."

"It's a style called Iaido." Serena interjected. "It's the art of drawing a blade, striking and putting it back in the scabbard. The idea is it's so fast, it foregoes a fight by striking so suddenly the battle is over in a single blow."

"He's using a tanto, a dagger, which is shorter than a katana, and as such is drawn from its sheath much faster." Jayden explained. "Between that, and his obvious mastery of the element of light, it results in a style that is very effective."

"Glad you liked it." Antonio replied. "It's my own style, but it's got plenty of strength behind it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to deal with."

He threw himself at Vulpes, at which the others just watched.

"He could do with a hand." Mike commented. Jayden just launched himself into battle, morphing as he went and smashed Vulpes to the ground.

"Excelliente." Antonio yelled. "You're better than I remember."

"Huh?" Jayden asked, confused by his remark. This guy said he remembered him. He hadn't revealed his true nature to anyone for as long as he could remember.

"Sorry, but I have to finish this." Antonio replied, pulling out a power disk and placing it on his tanto. "Baracuda Blade!"

Before they could say anything, Vulpes' first life was over and he fell to the ground, exploding as Antonio put his tanto away. He looked to the others with a grin on his face.

"So, what do you think?" He asked.

"I think I want to know who you are." Mike said impatiently. Just then, Vulpes grew to massive size, towering over them.

"Our gold friend will have to wait." Jayden replied. "It's zord time."

The Rangers put down their zords and traced the power symbol, making them grow...all except for Serena. She stared at the ape folding zord a little confused as it remained in its inert state, not responding to her command. She traced the symbol again.

"Come on!" She willed it, finding it moving, but not doing as it should. She pounded a fist into it, before tracing the symbol again. "Come on damn it!"

The Rangers formed the Megazord, and stood ready for battle as they all arrived in the cockpit.

"I was wondering where you were." Jayden said to Serena. Serena just shook her head.

"Sorry, but my zord was being a little difficult." She told him. Just then, she looked down, seeing that her control console was not lit up. Looking out, she saw that the left arm of the megazord, the one made from the ape foldingzord was hanging uselessly. "Oh come ON!" What the hell is wrong with you?"

"We need another plan." Jayden stated. "Battlewing Megazord."

Mike, Kevin and Jayden all put their respective disks onto the control consoles, spinning them. The Beetle Zord and Tiger Zord came out without any complications, but the Swordfish Disk just sat there, completely useless.

"Huh?" Kevin replied, spinning it again. There were no sparks; there was no energy... nothing. It was just a disk.

"You used the disk on Serena!" Mia shrieked.

"You did what?" Serena asked him.

"It must still be drained from healing her!" Mia interjected. "That's why it can't come out!"

Just then, the megazord was smashed to the ground aggressively by Vulpes.

In the clearing, Antonio was watching. He saw the Rangers were in difficulty, and made a decision.

"I guess it's time to text the Octozord." He commented. "Come on buddy, let's go!"

Jayden watched as the Octozord came out, floating next to them. He couldn't believe he was seeing it. It was so long since he had seen it...he couldn't believe it. Was this really Antonio?

A little while later, after the battle, The Gold Ranger came up to them, dragging the fish cart with him.

Alright, if no one answers this now, I'm officially gonna lose it." Mike stated. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm a friend." Antonio replied as he de-morphed. Seeing him, Jayden smiled more brightly and more broadly than anyone could ever remember.

"Antonio?" He asked. "Is that really you?"

"I knew you'd remember me!" He yelled excitedly. "I'm back baby, and now...I'm up for some action."

He strode towards Jayden purposefully, before them both launched into an impromptu sparring session. Mia just closed Kevin's mouth as he stared at them in awe.

"I guess he's a friend of Jayden's." Mike responded.

"I vote he should be part of the team." Emily chipped in.

"Whoa, he was great today." Kevin told them. "One battle doesn't make you a Samurai."

"Maybe not." Mia agreed. "But today, he was golden."

Later, well after dinner as the Rangers were talking about the days events, Serena was in the back yard with the Ape Folding Zord, staring at it intently. She glared at it, finding it frustrating to deal with.

"Jump!" She barked. The zord did nothing in response, just looking at her. "Jump damn it!"

The Zord did so, but half-heartedly at best. Serena just sighed.

"Slow going huh?" Jayden asked her.

"I don't get it." She replied in a whisper.

"It's been a long time." He told her. She just shook her head.

"It's my zord." She answered.

"It's a sentient being." Jayden reminded her. "It belongs to no-one, except the person it dedicates itself to."

"I screwed up." She muttered under her breath. "I couldn't..."

"Hey, you can't help it if your zord doesn't play nice." Jayden interrupted her.

"I should though." She muttered. "I'm sorry."

Jayden sat next to her, putting an arm around her. He didn't really know Serena that well; all he knew about her if he was honest was that she was a good swordswoman, she was powerful in symbol power, and that she was Emily's sister. However, he could empathise, and knew she was beating herself up over the fact they very nearly lost the battle.

"You have nothing to feel sorry for." He replied. "But there is something I want to talk to you about." She looked to him not knowing what to expect.

"I can feel that you have one of the strongest Symbol Powers I've ever known." He began. "You can do things with a sword that Kevin...hell, even I can't do."

"But?" She asked him, realising that this was leading somewhere.

"You aren't part of the team." He told her. "Emily is."

"But...I can be..."

"Emily came here a little girl with a menagerie of stuffed animals a quivering, nervous wreck." He told her. "She was clumsy, she was accident prone, and I can't even begin to imagine how much she's cost us in repairs."

"That's Emily alright." Serena answered. "The little tornado of doom."

"In that time, she's all but earned her High School Diploma." He reminded her. "She's worked so hard."

"She's definitely changed." Serena conceded.

"The woman that I know as Emily now is not the scared little girl that came to us." Jayden told her. "She's earned her friends; she's even earned herself a boyfriend..."

"I'm still not convinced about Mike." She chuckled. Jayden just shrugged at that.

"You have to admit, she's grown a lot since she came here." He told her, before pointing to the Ape Folding Zord. "It's been a long time. She isn't used to you."

"She's used to Emily." She concluded. Jayden just looked to her.

"I know that this is your right." He told her. "I just want to say, you have to be the first to admit that this has been good for Emily."

"She's really grown." Serena conceded. Jayden placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're a great Samurai." He told her. "But you know that. You don't need this, maybe Emily does."

Serena just nodded in agreement, before cradling his cheek with her hand and turning his face to hers and kissing him softly.

"I'll tell the others tomorrow." She replied. "Thank you."

As she left, Jayden just slumped against the wall defeated. He had an idea that Serena was interested. He just didn't know what to do about it. Antonio arrived, chewing some sushi.

"Well that's awkward." Antonio stated. "Is she so barking up the wrong tree or what?"

"Antonio, could you please do me a favour?" He asked.

"Sure." He replied.

"Please shut up."

The next morning, everyone assembled in the main room at Mentor Ji's behest. They knew they had something important to discuss if he had called them all to the room like that and foregone training.

"Serena has told me she has an important announcement to make." He told them, before turning the floor over to Serena. She got up, and took the floor, looking to Jayden briefly.

"You all know that originally I was meant to be the Yellow Ranger." She began. "However, I'm not convinced that's for the best."

"Serena?" Emily asked, sitting forwards.

"Jayden and I talked last night, and we both agree...Deker has gone after our family once before. It is possible he will do so again."

She went over to Emily, taking the Ape Folding Zord necklace off and draped it over her sister's head.

"The team needs you." She assured her sister. "I'll make sure our parents are safe."

Emily couldn't form words, her emotion overcoming her. She threw her arms around Serena, hugging her tightly as she heard her decision. She would not be going home after all.

As she parted from her, Serena picked up a bag.

"I've made an arrangement with the Fishers. They'll keep an eye on things so the farm doesn't become too much for me." She assured Emily. "I'll be back."

"Just..." Emily didn't know what to say. There were so many things she wanted to say, but there was so little time. "Keep mom and dad safe."

"I will." She assured her. "I promise."

With that, she left the Shiba House, heading for home. The Rangers just looked around each other.

"That just leaves one question." Kevin commented. "What do we do about the Gold guy?"

Fin.


End file.
